Exit Slip #4

To begin the class a group presented Ch. 3 of our reading which was about technology skepticism. I found myself being very connected to this chapter and discussion because I, myself, find myself more on the skepticism side. I thought that it was nice to get out of our seats and discuss our thoughts with the others who agree with our perspective on technology. Although it was nice to get out of our seats, the activity was exactly like one we did a few weeks back. I think the group could have done a different activity with more creativity. After the presentation we went over a number of things the group did well as well as what they could have improved on.

Next, we went over each and every one of our technology inquiry questions. This helped me out a ton because it gave me a better idea of what is expected for this assignment. It shows how much Dr. Boyer cares about our success in this class. He could have just let us discovered on our own whether or not our questions are suitable for this project.

We then talked about the interactive whiteboard lesson for those in the class who want an A.  Dr. Boyer showed us a very neat lesson using the white board. He then showed us a few different tools when creating a lesson plan using the white board. There are so many possibilities when working with this program, the possibilities are endless!

"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 5 Reflection

When looking at the title of Chapter 5 of our Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts text I was very confused as to what this chapter was going to be about considering I had never even heard of a "RSS" before. After reading the first few paragraphs I had realized that as a Facebook user, I could relate this somewhat to a "News Feed" on a Facebook page. This is an interesting, and very useful, tool to use when looking at blogs. RRS, along with the majority of the other technologies, is a way of making things faster and easier for both the educator and students. In today’s economy, time is money. Rather than searching through a mass amount of blogs, one is able to get all of the new blog posts from each of the blogs on one page. As a future teacher, using this tool in the classroom for either checking homework assignments or just checking blog posts will also save us a lot of time because we won't have to click through each and every student’s blog. By being able to subscribe to a blog, you are ensured to get the context you are looking for and interested in as well as having it scam free.

As a future teacher I will show the students how to use an RSS not only for school matters but also for their personal use as well. I think it would be interesting to use RSS and subscribe to a number of different news blogs and start off the school day by looking at and then talking about the different current events going on locally as well as around the world. I would also encourage my students to not only create one theme for their RRS but sort their RRS pages by putting them into different folders so they can be easily found. By having all of their subscribed material on one page, it would be hard to find the information you are looking for when a number of different topics are listed. Overall this is a very useful tool for both students and teachers to use, not only in the classroom but also for personal use.

"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" Ch. 4 Reflection

This chapter on Wikis has given me a better understanding of other ways to use a Wiki rather than just for "Wikipedia". Prior to reading this chapter the first thing that came to my mind when hearing the word Wiki was Wikipedia and the only thing I had known about Wikipedia was from what I had been told from previous teachers which was not to trust it as a source. This chapter has actually stated that Wikipedia is actually a reliable source and actually four out of five sites were proven to be legitimate by experts. This was surprising to me, but scary as well knowing that my future students could be looking at that one website that is unreliable. Other ways to use a Wiki is for students to post their work such as essays, audio, projects, and videos on a Wiki which makes it easy for their classmates to make comments or even edit their work. To prevent the students from deleting the Wiki or even posting inappropriate context, when using a Wiki in the classroom the text states that by giving the students more responsibility to maintain the site, the less misuse of the Wiki will take place. I had not thought of this until reading the text. I had always assumed that the teacher was the one who maintained the Wiki and kept it updated. After reading this text I can see how having the students maintain the Wiki could benefit the students by each contributing to their site. This reading has impacted my thoughts about Wikis because I now understand that there are more people out there that want to improve Wikis rather than abuse them. I also now understand that there is more to a Wiki than just the website "Wikipedia".

As a result of this new thinking after reading this chapter I will think of a Wiki in a deeper way than just thinking of it as having a Wikipedia. As a future teacher I will give a full explanation of what a Wiki is and how to use it. As a student I was always told that Wikipedia is an unreliable source and not to use it, but after reading this chapter I have a better understanding of how Wikis work and that not all Wikipedia sites are unreliable which is what I would tell my future students. By having the students post their work, multiple students are able to edit their work in an easy manner. Having a classroom Wiki is really an easy way of keeping the students involved in their work and contributing to one another’s work as well. I will also leave students to be in charge of maintaining the Wiki, giving them the responsibility of keeping it updated and clean.

"Rethinking Education" Ch. 3 Reflection

I felt that chapter 3 of "Rethinking Education" was closely related to my opinion on a technology based classroom. Chapter 3 gave a skeptics point of view on using technology in the classroom. This chapter has made me realize why I feel strongly about keeping the traditional way of teaching and learning in the classroom.

The chapter starts out by talking about a few of the technologies that were told that they would change the way of teaching and learning such as the radio, television, and filmstrips. Although each of these technologies was supposed to change education, it was found that each of these technologies had little effect on the ways of the classroom. There are a number of barriers in using technology in the classroom. One of the biggest barriers is the cost. To provide enough computers in the classroom for each student would be costly. In today's classrooms there is about one computer for every five students and about 1:9 in urban districts. For computer to become central in the classroom there has to be at least one computer per student. There are also many hidden costs in providing enough computers for each student. Not only does the school need to pay to provide enough computers, there are also additional costs for maintenance and software. Space also becomes an issue when it comes to providing enough computers for each student. This chapter has just solidified my thoughts about technology in the classroom. The chapter gave statistics and theory behind why skeptics, such as myself, feel that technology should not be the main way of teaching and learning in a classroom.

After reading this chapter I have realized that I will teach my students that although technology can be helpful, they shouldn't rely on it in their future. In this chapter it states that technology can dilute the authority in the classroom. After reading this I have decided that I will make it clear to all of my students that I am the one in charge, and once they think that technology has more authority than the teacher that there will be consequences. The most important lesson I will teach my students after reading this chapter is that your teachers and peers can teach you things that no computer will ever be able to teach you, such as how to be a good person. From kindergarten on teachers have taught you how to play fair and be nice to one another and in the real world being a good person is truly what matters most.

331- Exit Slip #3

Today we started off the class by having the first group present a chapter to the class. The group presented chapter 2 of our reading. After they were done presenting we used the smart board and had a class discussion about what the group did well and what they could have done differently to improve their lesson. To me, the most interesting tip Dr. Boyer gave to us was how to introduce and conclude our presentations. His advice was to introduce the presentation by telling us what you're going to be talking about, then talk about what you want to talk about, and conclude the presentation by telling us what you told us.

Next, Dr. Boyer recapped our homework on "Google Advanced" and the tools it has to offer. He then gave us some ideas about our Inquiry project and how to decide what question to select for that project. To wrap up the day we went over some loose ends and were able to ask questions regarding class expectations and questions about our upcoming assignments.

"Rethinking Education" Ch. 2 Reflection

Reading chapter 2 of “Rethinking Education” has actually changed my perspective a bit regarding education in the classroom. Before reading this chapter I had a very strong opinion that technology made a teacher’s job more difficult and that the students would benefit from having a more traditional way of learning. This chapter has given a few examples that have made me think differently. The chapter states that we are using 19^th century teaching style to try and fulfill the needs of 21^st century children. The chapter also gives many examples of how technology can be beneficial for learning both in and outside of the classroom. Technology can be used to getting a tutor. This is a helpful tool but it the methods teachers use to solve particular problems can be very different. Some teachers prefer using one method over another, and likely the online tutor was maybe taught a different method to solve the problem which can clash with the teachers way of teaching. As stated in the chapter is that technology can also give immediate feedback which can help to correct their mistakes right away which leads to a better understanding and a quicker understanding. Technology can also help get a students work out on the internet for more than just the teacher and his or her classmates to see. The student is able to publish their work online for more viewers to see. The book does a good job of explaining how technology can be useful in the classroom and has made me open my mind to the possibilities of a technology oriented classroom.

As a result of this reading I will now consider using technology more in my classroom. This reading has made me think about ways I could, as a teacher, incorporate technology into my classroom in an interesting way. I first thought about pen pals. In the past we have used a paper and pencil to write to our pen pals and the post office to deliver our messages. Technology could make it possible to have pen pals from classrooms all across the world. Teachers could use Skype or even video messages to talk to various classrooms, and free of price. This chapter also made me think more about video games and think about them in a different manor. Although I do not agree with all video games, the text points out a few different games that can actually have the students apply their knowledge to everyday life. Unlike most other teachers I will explain to my students that I do not think all video games are bad, but will help my students pick out the appropriate games to play that can benefit their motor skills and pattern matching, social behavior and others. This chapter has helped me become more open to using technology in the classroom and has helped me brainstorm different ways to incorporate technology in the classroom that will be interesting for the students.

331- Exit Slip #2

After today's lecture I came away with a better understanding on both expectations for our chapter presentation as well as a better understanding of chapter one in our reading. Dr. Boyer presented chapter one of the reading and gave us a demonstration and tips on how to do our own presentations when time comes. I now understand that we are not supposed to just recap the chapter. He also gave us a website to use rather than using power point.

Today in class we also talked about a process to teach our students when looking online at websites and determining whether or not they are legitimate. A few tips I learned that I hadn’t already thought about was "trimming the URL" and most importantly "triangulation" which is comparing the information between websites.

What I thought was the most interesting about today's lecture was when we were given a set of questions and depending on whether we agreed or not we moved to different parts of the room. We got into groups with those we agreed with and discussed our opinions with the class. I liked this activity because we got to get up out of our chairs and move around. In my classroom I will also use activities where the students will be able to get up and move around. I think this is important because I will be working with elementary aged children who most likely have a hard time sitting behind a desk all day long.

At the end of the class Dr. Boyer gave us a short lesson on how to use the SMART board. The tools on this board are amazing and endless. There are so many fun tools that can be used to both keep the children interested and excited. I think by letting the students take turns by using the SMART board will be exciting for the students. The short instructional lesson will also help me in my Education 381 class where I am expected to present a lesson using the SMART board.

Overall, this class was interesting and insightful.